It’s fun not knowing what your team is going to do on NFL draft day, and even less fun when you end up yelling at the TV as they select a third cornerback. It’s alright to have a little certainty ahead of time: On Thursday, the Indianapolis Colts reportedly informed Andrew Luck that they will select him with the first overall pick of the draft.

Not that this is a big surprise or anything. Luck has long been considered the best prospect in the country, dating back to early 2011 when he surprised many by deciding to stay at Stanford for his senior year. But there was some speculation as to whether the Colts would be tempted to select Baylor’s Robert Griffin III, who’s now a sure bet to be selected at the number two spot by the Washington Redskins. With Luck locked in, the Colts can begin diagramming their road back to relevancy after so many successful years under the Peyton Manning regime. “The bottom line is, this is not a quick rebuild. This is a long-term project. There are gaping needs all over the board — at tight end, cornerback, nose tackle, wide receiver . . . have I missed anything?” Bob Kravitz writes for the Indianapolis Star. “Even looking at a relatively friendly schedule, it’s hard to imagine this team winning more than four, five games. Remember, a rookie named Peyton Manning joined a far superior cast than this one in 1998, and his team went 3-13.” Read More »

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Jeremy Gordon is a freelance writer who lives in Chicago. He has written for TheAtlantic.com, MTV and Prefix and occasionally Tumbles and Tweets. The last time he cried was when Steve Bartman dropped the ball.

Jared Diamond writes about sports for The Wall Street Journal. He currently serves as a beat reporter covering the New York Mets and Major League Baseball.

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